Safety appliance for railroad-cars.



S. B. RIEG. SAFETY APPLIANCE FOR RAILROAD CARS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. l7| I9I5.

Patented June 22, 1915.

LJW3,6%&

Inventor k/lv.

Witnesses Attorneys THE NORRIS PETERS Co. PHOTO-LITHQ. WASHINGTON, D L

hurrah sra rns rennet SWEBER'I B. BIEG, OF MERIDIAN, MISSISSIPPI.

SAFETY APPLIANCE FOB RAILROAD-CARS.

Specification of Letters Patent,

Patented June 22, 19th.

Application filed March 17, 1915. Serial No. 15,033.

safety appliance for railroad cars, which is operable to open the air line under certain emergency or danger conditions, for quickly bringing thetrain to a halt to avoid further danger or injury.

It is the object of this invention, to provide a safety appliance or attachment for railway cars, of such construction and operation, as to open the air line and allow the quick acting air brakes to be set immediately upon the happening of dangerous conditions, such as the derailing of a truck, the spreading or breaking of the rails, the dropping Of a brake beam, and the like, the invention also being adapted to be operated manually by the conductor orpassenger of the train when a dangerous condition pre sents itself. 7

Another object of the invention is the pro vision of a safety appliance of the character specified, which will be operative under the various conditions, which will not become clogged or frozen up and thus impair its utility, which is not liable to become rusted to cause the parts to stick or bind together when they should work-loosely, and which is not liable to be broken or injured in operation.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a unique valve construction adapted to be interposed in an air line or train pipe and embodying a normally closed valve, and means for enabling the valve to be opened when an emergency or danger condition arises.

It is also within the scope of the invention to provide. a device of the character speci- .fied, which is comparatively simple, nonencumbering and inexpensive in construc tion, which may be readily installed'in rai1- road cars now in use, and which is simple, efficient and thoroughly practical inoperation.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes inthe precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed can be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein Figure 1 is a plan view illustrating a t'ragmental portion of a car truck, and the present appliance or attachment associated with the-truck and air line or train pipe.

Fig. :2 is an elevation of the parts depicted in 1. Fig. 3 is an enlarged longitudinal section of the valve structure. Fig. i is across sectional view taken on the line 44L- of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a detail view of the link coiiperating with one arm of the trip lever.

in carrying out the invention, there is provided a valve structure 1 embodying a "i -shaped casing or coupling 2, adapted to be interposed in the air line or train pipe.

Thus, the sections 3 and l oi the train pipe may be threaded or otherwise engaged into the ends of the casing 53. The arm or branch 5 of the casing 2 projects upwardly and the casing 2 is disposed horizontally. The upper end of the arm or branch 5 is provided with a gasket 6 therein, and a valve 7 is pivoted, as at 8, to one side of the branch 5, and arranged to normally swing over the said branch to close the same. The inner or lower side of the valve 'Zcarries a gasket 9 seatable upon the gasket 6, for providing a tight closure when the valve 7 is closed.

In order that the valve 7 may be normally held closed, the tree portion of the valve is provided with a lug 10 projecting therefrom, and the lug. 10 is provided with an upper groove or notch 11. The upper face of the lug 10 is rounded or curved, as indicated at 12 in Fig. l. That end portion of the casing 2 adjacent or nearest the tree portion or the valve 7, is reduced in diameter, as at 18, and has journaled thereon a vided with a' copper or brass liner 16, and

copper or brass collars 17 are threaded or portion 18 provided tending lug l9 overhanging the lug of the valve. The bottom of the lug 19 is provided with" a ridge 20 for engaging the groove llof the lug 10. The ring 15 is provided with a depending arm 21 having a longitudinal bore 22 into which an adjusting screw 23 is threaded, and a detent 24 is s'lidable within the bore 22 and is engageable with a notch 25 provided in the reduced portion 13 of the valve casing for holding the trip lever in normal position. A coiled wire expansion spring 26 is disposed within the bore 22 between the adjusting screw 23 and detent 2 for yicldably forcing the detent against the portion 13 of the valve casing, whereby the detent 2 will snap into the notch 25 when the trip lever is swung to normal position.' The engagement of the detent 24 with the notch 25 is such; that the trip lever is normally held stationary, but is permitted to oscillate when sufficient force is applied thereto. The ring 15 of the trip lever also has laterally projecting arms 27 and 28 at opposite sides and projecting "away from each other.

The truck carries means for operating the trip lever when the ruck is moved excessively relative to the car body, it being un derstood. that the train pipe is carried by and below the bottom of the car body, whereby the truck in moving will move relative to the train pipeand the'valve structure 1.

V A member or shank 29 is secured to the bolster 29 of the truck, and is provided with a fork 30 whose arms lie in a horizontal plane,.and the arm 21 of the trip lever depends within the fork 30. The arms of the fork 30 are normallyspaced fronithe arm 21, whereby the truck may oscillate the usual extent, as when rounding curves, without actuating the trip lever, but when the truck oscillateslaterally to an excessive degree relative to the body, one or theother of the arms of the fork 30 will contact with and swing the arm 21of'the trip lever for re- I tions,

leasing the valve: -w1th an outstanding One ofthe arms of thefork 30 is provided upturned portion or standard 32 The arm 27 prothe saidarm and portion may move relative' to 'one another; during ordinary condiwithout the trip lever being oper ated, butl should the truck swing upwardly or downwardly excessively relative to the portion 31 having an provided with'a ll-shaped portion 33 receiving the arm 27 of, the trip lever. jects withinjthe U-shaped portion 33 and body, the upper or lower arm of the portion in the same direction, whereby they may be readily drawn out of coiiperative relation with the trip lever, without the liability of injuring the valve structure in doing so.

A slotted link 3% which is hung from a cable or flexible element 35 normally receives the free end of the arm 28 of the trip lever, and the cord or cable 35 is passed over a pulley or guide 36 and may be connected to the brake beam, so that the falling of the brake beam will pull the cord 35 and raise the link 34k suiiiciently for swinging the arm 28. The cord 35 may also be extended to the vestibules or other portions of the train in order that the trip lever may be operated manually by the conductor or passenger in the event of a dangerous condition being detected.

In operation, when the valve 7 is swung over its seat, it will seat itself, and then by swinging the trip lever, the lug 19 thereof, which acts as a detent element, will move over the curved face 12 of the lug 10, and will therefore press the gaskets 6 and 9 tightly together, and the ridge 20 of the lug 19 will then snap into the groove 11 of the lug 10 for holding the parts in place. At the same time, the detent 24 will snap into the notch 25 for holding the trip lever in normal position in connection with the engagement of the ridge 20 in the groove 11. Under normal conditions, the trip lever or detent will not be actuated by the ordinary oscillations of the truck relative to the car body, but should the truck oscillate laterally excessively, such as when the truck becomes derailed due to the spreading or breaking of the rails, the fork 30 will be swung sufficiently to one side for swinging the arm 2]. of the trip lever. The trip lever being thus swung, will disengage the detent lug 19 thereof from the lug 10 of the valve, and the va ve will then be free to swing open. The air will therefore force the valve open, and in escaping from the train pipe will set the automatic air brakes immediately for stopping the train. Should the truck swing vertically excessively relative to the body, due to the spreading of the rails, or the like, the Ushaped portion or member will swing the arm 27 of. the trip lever to release the valve-7. If the cord or cable 35 is attached to the brake beam, the dropping of the brake beam'will pull the cord 35 and lift the link or member 34 to swingthe arm 28 of the trip lever, and which will swing the trip lever to releasing position. The cord 35 may also be extended to vestibules or other portions of the train, whereby it may be pulled by the conductor or passenger for opening the safety valve.

Particular attention is directed to the fact that branch or arm 5 of the valve casing 2 projects upwardly, so that moisture and sediment cannot accumulate therein, and this will prevent the valve structure from being clogged up or frozen. The device is also non-rusting, that is, a non-rusting engagement is provided between the valve casing and trip lever, whereby the trip lever is not liable to stick or bind even though it is not moved for an extended period of time.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. In a safety attachment of the character described, a valve structure embodying a T- shaped casing adapted to be interposed in a train pipe, a normally closed valve for the branch of the casing, and a detent embodying a ring journaled upon one end portion of the casing and having a portion cooperating with the valve for holding the valve seated when the detent is in normal position.

2. In a safety attachment of the character described, a valve structure embodying a T= shaped valve casing, the ends of which are attachable to the sections of a train pipe, a valve pivoted to oneside of the branch of the casing, the branch having a valve seat, and the valve being normally seated, and a detent embodying a ring journaled upon that end portion of the casing adjacent the free portion of the valve, the ring having a portion cooperating with the free portion of the valve for holding vthe valve normally seated, and the ring having an operating arm projecting therefrom.

3. In a safety device of the character described, a valve casing, a normally closed valve therefor, a detent carried by'the valve casing for oscillatory movement and adapted to normally hold the valve seated, the detent having a plurality of arms projecting therefrom, and a plurality of actuating devices cooperable with the respective arms of the detent whereby any one of said devices may swing the detent to valve releasing position.

4:. In a safety attachment of the character described, a valve structure embodying a casing and a normally seated valve, a trip Copies of this patent may be obtained for lever embodying a ring journaled upon the valve casing and having avplurality of arms projecting therefrom, the trip lever having means cooperable with the valve for normally holding the same closed, and a plurality of actuating devices cooperable with the respective arms of the trip lever whereby any one of said devices may operate the trip lever.

5. In a safety device of the character de scribed, a brake applying device adapted to be carried by a car body and including a trip lever having a depending arm and a laterally projecting arm, and a member adapted to be carried by a car truck and having a portion into which the first mentioned arm of the trip lever depends, the said portion having an upstanding portion into which the laterally projecting arm of the trip lever extends, said portions being arranged to normally move relative to said arms without swinging them and to swing said arms in the event of excessive movements of the truck.

6. In a safety device of the character described, a brake applying device adapted to be carried by a car body and including a trip lever having a depending arm and a pair of laterally projecting arms at opposite sides, a member adapted to be carried by a car truck and having a horizontal portion receiving the depending arm of the trip lever, said portion having an upstanding portion receiving one of the laterally projecting arms of the trip lever, and an actuating cord having means cooperable with the other laterally proj ccting arm of the trip lever whereby the trip lever can be swung when the cord is pulled, the said portions and respective arms of the trip lever being normally movable relative to one another without swinging the trip lever and being designed to swing the trip lever in the event of excessive movements of the truck relative to the car body. In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto afIiXed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

SWEBERT B. RIEG. Witnesses:

IVY E. SIMPSON, Mormon E. MILLER.

Washington, D. G. 

